Morocco: An Unexplored Cetacean Frontier
The idea behind the Wise Whale Project is that it can move and grow around the world, creating small local partnerships in places we believe are strategically and ecologically important. Each location represents a new chapter of our journey — a way to connect with local communities, share knowledge, and promote responsible whale watching and marine awareness in different regions.
But every journey needs a starting point, and for us, that beginning is Morocco.
Morocco will be the first home of the Wise Whale Project — the place where our vision starts to take shape, where we begin building connections between people and the ocean in a more conscious and respectful way.
We chose Morocco as the outset of our journey for two main reasons.
The first is that, unlike many other coastal regions, Morocco currently has almost no whale-watching activity. This means that marine life here is not under constant pressure from numerous boats or tourism operations. We believe it makes little sense to create yet another company in areas where animals are already surrounded by numerous boats every day. One of the main frustrations that led us to start Wise Whale Project was witnessing the amount of stress that human activity can cause to cetaceans when too many operators compete for the same encounters.
By beginning our journey in a place where few — or no — whale-watching boats operate, we aim to ensure that our presence does not add more disturbance to the ocean. Instead, we want to contribute to a gentler, more respectful model of observing marine life.
The second reason is scientific curiosity. Very little is known about the cetaceans of Morocco. This region, around M’diq on the Mediterranean Sea and close to the Atlantic Ocean, is an area rich with life, yet still largely unexplored in terms of research and long-term monitoring.
We believe that every responsible whale-watching operation should also be a platform for learning. Through Wise Whale Project, we hope to collect valuable data, share knowledge, and help build a clearer picture of which species inhabit these waters, how they use this area, and what threats they may face.
Our goal in Morocco is simple but ambitious: to explore, to learn, and to protect.
To create a new way of being at sea — one that respects both the animals and the delicate balance of the ecosystem they live in.